Biblical Commentary
(Bible study)

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

THE CONTEXT:

The context for this story begins with God’s call of Abram, when God promised, “All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3). While the Old Testament relates the story of Israel as God’s chosen people, there is also an undercurrent that reminds us of God’s love for Gentiles. And so the Jewish law prescribes fair treatment for aliens (Exodus 22:21; 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:19)—and Rahab (Joshua 6:25) and Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17), both Gentiles, became part of Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:5)—and God sent Jonah to Nineveh to save the Ninevite Gentiles (Jonah 1:2).

In the New Testament, this openness to Gentiles accelerates. After his resurrection, Jesus told the apostles, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth” (1:8). At Pentecost, Peter (not yet understanding the full import of his words) said, “For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself” (2:39).

However, in the early chapters of Acts, membership in the church required prior membership in the Jewish faith.

But then in chapter 8, Philip baptized an Ethiopian eunuch—a man who, because of his physical defect (castration) was not eligible to become a full member of the Jewish community.

And then chapter 9 tells the story of the conversion of Saul (Paul), who will become the great apostle to the Gentiles.

And then in the first half of Acts 10, Cornelius and Peter both saw visions given by God. In his vision, Cornelius, a Roman centurion and a devout Gentile, was ordered to send for Peter (Acts 10:5-6). In his vision, Peter saw unclean animals (unclean according to Jewish law) and received an order from God to kill and eat them (Acts 10:11-16). Just as Peter was trying to understand the meaning of this troublesome vision, the men sent by Cornelius arrived. Then the Spirit said to Peter, “Behold, three men seek you. But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them” (10:19-20). Peter went with the men to Joppa, where he met Cornelius. Cornelius had gathered together a group of his relatives and friends to meet with the God-sent Peter (10:24).

ACTS 10:25-26. STAND UP! I MYSELF AM ALSO A MAN

25 When it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. 26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.”

“When it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him” (v. 25). It seems natural enough that Cornelius would fall down at Peter’s feet to worship him. After all, an angel of the Lord has commanded Cornelius to send for Peter (10:5-6), so Cornelius can assume that Peter is, at the least, a God-sent emissary—or, at the most, a deity.

When in doubt, it’s a safe bet to give a stranger more honor than they deserve rather than less. It’s easy to ratchet down—but can be damaging to have to ratchet up. Cornelius takes the safe course by falling down at Peter’s feet and worshiping him.

Does this sort of thing happen today? I haven’t had anyone fall down at my feet and worship me, but like many clergy I have experienced people placing me on a pedestal because of my ordination. To what extent is that appropriate? How should I deal with that? Peter’s response in the next verse suggests a proper response.

“But Peter raised him up, saying, ‘Stand up! I myself am also a man'” (v. 26). Peter refuses to allow Cornelius to worship him. He calls Cornelius to “Stand up!”—a posture that allows them to see each other eye to eye—a posture that suggests a kind of equality.

Then Peter spells out his rationale in more detail. “I myself am also a man,” he says. His answer suggests that Peter thinks of Cornelius as an equal or a near-equal. There is the matter, of course, that Peter is an apostle and Cornelius is not, but Peter doesn’t lean on that distinction—doesn’t even mention it.

Paul and Barnabas will face a similar situation when a crowd at Lystra, seeing Paul heal a crippled man, says, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” (14:11). They will call Barnabas “Jupiter” and Paul “Mercury”—and the priest of the temple of Jupiter will bring oxen and garlands to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas. But Paul and Barnabas will tear their clothes—a public expression of dismay—and will say, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them” (14:15).

In the book of Revelation, John falls down to worship at the feet of an angel, but the angel responds, “See you don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God” (Revelation 22:9).

Peter went on to talk about his transformed understanding about Gentiles: “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean” (10:28).

ACTS 10:34-35. GOD DOESN’T SHOW FAVORITISM

34Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; 35but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”

“Peter opened his mouth and said, ‘Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism'” (v. 34). The Hebrew Scriptures always prohibited Jewish people from showing favoritism to wealthy or powerful people, and made it clear that Yahweh did not show favoritism to privileged people (Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 10:17-18; 2 Chronicles 19:7).

But the favoritism of which Peter speaks is favoritism toward the people of Israel. In the Old Testament, God chose Abram and Abram’s descendants, bringing them into a covenant relationship that made Israel to be known as God’s chosen people Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19-24; Joshua 24; 2 Samuel 7:12-17). However, these covenants were all preliminary to the covenant established by Jesus (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). As Paul will later say, because of Christ’s work, “there is neither longer Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

“but in every nation” (ethnei—from ethnos) (v. 35a). While ethnos can have various meanings, in the New Testament it is often a code-word for Gentile. Peter’s phrase, “every nation,” clearly means people from Gentile nations.

“he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him” (v. 35b). But if God is not partial to people of a particular race, he is partial to those who fear him and who do what is right. The standard for righteousness in the past has been adherence to Jewish law. However, Peter says that he now understands that fearing God (having reverence for God) and doing what is right are now the criteria by which God will judge.

This doing “what is right” is not works-righteousness, but it acknowledges that God expects correspondence between faith and behavior. A person who reverences God will try to honor God by acting in accord with God’s will. Grace is still necessary, because “all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but God knows our hearts. God knows whether we are trying to honor him by doing his will. It is not acceptable to profess faith while making no effort to do God’s will.

Peter then went on to preach a Pentecost-like sermon to these Gentiles (10:34-43). He concluded his sermon with these words, “All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins” (10:43). Given the presence of Gentiles, the word “everyone” is significant.

ACTS 10:44-46a. THE HOLY SPIRIT FELL ON ALL WHO HEARD THE WORD

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 45They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. 46aFor they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God.

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word” (v. 44). Just before being interrupted, Peter was saying “that through his name EVERYONE who believes in him (Jesus) will receive remission of sins” (10:43). God chooses that pregnant moment to interrupt Peter—to endow “all whose who heard the word” (including the Gentiles who were present) with the Holy Spirit.

This sequence is highly unusual, since the gift of the Holy Spirit usually follows baptism (2:38; 8:14-17; 19:1-7).

However, the gift of the Holy Spirit is appropriate to this occasion, because it represents a breakthrough of outreach by the church to Gentiles. Gentiles were always welcome in the church if they first became Jewish proselytes. In this case, however, there has not been (nor will there be) any mention of conversion to the Jewish faith. God gives the gift of the Spirit to these Gentiles as confirmation of his intention to accept Gentiles into the church without prior conversion to the Jewish faith.

This occasion has been called “The Gentile Pentecost,” because there are several parallels with the Jerusalem Pentecost. Peter’s sermon (10:34-43) is shorter than his Pentecost sermon (2:14-36), but is similar in many respects. The outcomes on both occasion involved baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“Indeed, from this moment forward whenever Peter is asked to interpret the status of uncircumcised Gentiles within the church or in relationship to Jews/Jerusalem, his final appeal will not be to his vision but to Cornelius’s reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Wall, 167).

“They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles” (v. 45). This parallels the surprise of the crowd at Pentecost who, when they heard the apostles speaking in various languages, “were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, ‘What does this mean?'” (2:12).

This verse doesn’t tell us that Peter was astounded, although he was probably surprised that these Gentiles would receive the Holy Spirit prior to baptism. But God has prepared Peter for this moment by Peter’s vision and his conversation with Cornelius, the Roman centurion (10:1-33). Peter has been a defender of the Jewish faith, but God has dragged him kicking and screaming (10:13-14) into a new posture. Once Peter was convinced that God intended the Christian Gospel for Gentiles, he did an about-face and became an advocate for Gentiles.

But the circumcised believers (Jewish Christians) with Peter are astounded. They have not yet come to understand God’s intention to admit Gentile believers into the church without prior conversion to the Jewish faith. Their preparation for this moment has been much less complete than was Peter’s.

“For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God” (v. 46a). The speaking in tongues is a certain sign that these Gentiles have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Scholars tend to agree, however, that the speaking in tongues mentioned here is different from the speaking on tongues at the Jerusalem Pentecost. In Jerusalem, the apostles “were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability… (and) everyone (members of the crowd) heard them speaking in his own language” (2:4, 6). The purpose of speaking in tongues on that occasion was twofold. First, it confirmed to the crowd that something miraculous was taking place. Second, it helped the apostles to communicate with people who otherwise could not have understood them.

This speaking of tongues by Gentiles also has two purposes. First, it confirms to the Jewish believers that God has blessed these Gentiles with his Spirit. Second, it enables the Gentile believers (because they obviously are believers at this point) to extol God—to praise God and to glorify his name. Therefore, most scholars agree that this is an ecstatic speaking in tongues like that mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:2.

ACTS 10:46b-47. CAN ANY MAN FORBID THE WATER FOR BAPTIZING

46bThen Peter answered, 47“Can any man forbid (Greek: kolusai – from koluo—prevent, hinder) the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we should not be baptized?”

“Can any man forbid (koluo—prevent, hinder) the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we should not be baptized?” (v. 47). Peter, who has so recently been converted from his Jews-only perspective, now provides the initiative for baptizing these Gentiles. He obviously believes that they need baptism even though they have already received the Holy Spirit.

Koluo is the same verb that the eunuch used when he said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping (koluo) me from being baptized?” (8:36). The eunuch was also a Gentile, and each case, the koluo question is asked in such as way as to expect the response, “There is nothing to prevent it.”

Note that Peter says nothing about circumcision as a prior condition to baptism.

“who have received the Holy Spirit” (v. 47b). The reason for Peter’s advocacy is that he has seen evidence (speaking in tongues) that God has endowed these Gentiles with the Holy Spirit. Peter understands that gift as God’s welcoming sign to Gentiles.

Peter has always been slow to move beyond generally accepted boundaries, but he has never been slow to move once he understood such movement to be God’s will.

“as well as we” (v. 47c). There is no distinction between the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers. Both have received the same Spirit.

ACTS 10:48. HE COMMANDED THEM TO BE BAPTIZED

48He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.

“He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (v. 48a). Apparently Peter does not baptize the Gentile believers personally, but orders other Christians—presumably those who accompanied him from Joppa (10:23)—to administer it.

“Then they asked him to stay some days” (v. 48b). Not long ago, Peter would have refused the hospitality of a Gentile’s home and table, because he believed that it was God’s will that Jews should maintain their separateness from Gentiles.

While this verse does not explicitly tell us that Peter accepts this invitation, it strongly implies it. God has provided ample evidence (Peter’s vision and the gift of the Holy Spirit to Gentiles) that God intends to open the church to Gentiles. Just as there was no reason to withhold the water of baptism from Gentiles, there is no reason for Peter to decline Gentile hospitality.

POSTSCRIPT:

Peter will defend his actions to the Jerusalem church in 11:1-18, and will further defend them to the council in Jerusalem in 15:1-21.

SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc.), which the WEB has updated.